Japanese kanji 刷: printing and brushing

The idea

刷 has 8 strokes. Its on-reading is さつ in 印刷 and 印刷物; the verb 刷る is read する. Follow the linked stroke diagram.

Examples

• 会議かいぎの資料しりょうを印刷いんさつしました。I printed the meeting materials.
• この書類しょるいをカラーで印刷いんさつしてください。Please print this document in colour.
• 出版社しゅっぱんしゃはその本ほんをもう一度いちど刷すりました。The publisher printed the book again.
• この印刷物いんさつぶつのインクはまだ乾かわいていません。The ink on this printed matter is still wet.
• 朝あさご飯はんの後あとで歯はを刷みがきました。I brushed my teeth after breakfast.
• この本ほんの初刷しょずりは売うり切きれました。The first printing of this book sold out.

Watch out

印刷 means printing, while 歯を磨く is the usual expression for brushing teeth; 歯を刷く is also written with 刷 but read みがく, not する.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 印刷 in hiragana.

   Show answer or example answer

   いんさつ

   印刷 is いんさつ. The small っ is not used in this word.

2. Write the reading of 刷る in hiragana.

   Show answer or example answer

   する

   刷る is する: the る is part of the verb, so include it in the reading.

3. Choose the missing kanji: 印＿物（いんさつぶつ）［刷／冊］.

   Show answer or example answer

   刷

   刷 completes 印刷物（いんさつぶつ）, meaning printed matter.

Use it today

Write 刷 using the stroke diagram, then cover the readings and read 印刷 and 刷る aloud. Make a sentence with one.